Merry Christmas!
Another year is coming to a close, and we enjoy the holiday tradi
tion of Christmas and Holiday letters to keep in touch with our friends and relatives. Being in grad school however keeps our budget fairly tight so we're going to let this page serve as our Christmass letter for the year. We hope that as you read this page you know how much we love and appreciate each of you. We love Christmas and the message of peace on earth and good will it brings into the hearts of so many. We are grateful for Christ in our lives, and the mercy and forgivness He grants us. We hope that all of our friends, even those who do not share our faith and hope in Christ, will accept our greetings and well wishes during this season.
Here's the whole family on a hayride before Halloween:
Ezra turned 
3 in October, and Micah 1 in July. Ezra has been attending preschool for the last 3 months and is enjoying it immensely. He asks to go everyday (even on weekends) and it has been very beneficial for him. He pulls his own little rolling backpack each day just like this picture. His teacher is Montessori trained and as they say is "as patient as Job." The social interactions he is getting with his peers, both typically developing as well as other special needs children, is what we wanted for him the most and he loves it. He surprises us regularly with the progress he is making especially with using words to ask for things, report on what he likes, and what he sees around him.He also goes to an afternoon preschool twice a week. He has the cutest crush on his teacher Kathy. He likes spelling her name, asks for her about 5 times a day, and when he gets to see her he blushes and hides his face in his hands...even when it's just a picture of her.
Micah is the cutest happiest little guy, and he brin
gs a lot of happiness, smiles, laughter and applause into our home. Yes applause, he applauds and says "yaaaaaaaaay!" whenever anyone sings or does something fun, or even at random intervals when he thinks something is good. Micah was slow to talk, but he is really picking up steam with his words, asking for things, and observing. One of our most favorite of his cute phrases are "ni niiiiiiiight" at bed and nap time, and "dooown" when he wants up or down. Mommy also can't get enough of him saying "tootee" (for cookie), and has probably given him more cookies than necessary for a 1 year old just to hear him say it. He also loves to point to mommy's nose and calls it "ow", because he will squeeze it until mommy says "ow".
I (Aaron) am just completing my MS in Human-Computer Interaction Design at The School of Informatics and Indiana University. I'm ver
y excited to pass this threshold in my life and move onto the next phase. I have applied to a PhD position in the Netherlands and expect to turn in applications for other PhD positions in both Denmark and Sweden over the coming weeks. My research hasn't been as active as I would have liked this year, but I, along with my collaborators did publish a journal article and had another short paper accepted at a conference. I do hope to be able to publish the findings of my capstone project that centered around the research and evaluation I did on a major public service campaign called KnowHow2GO.
Vanessa here. This was another amazing year with trials and miracles going hand in hand. My biggest trial was certainly Ezra's Autism diagnosis in January. At first I didn't understand the implications. I thought it would just go away with therapy, but while there is recovery and management there is no "cure". I have spent most of the year learning about autism, researching treatments alternative and traditional, and dragging Ezra around to Doctors. On the bright side, I feel I've been very privileged to receive excellent child management and parenting training through daily observation of his speech, developmental and occupational therapists. 
Being in the position of having a child who can't do what other kids can (yet), has opened our eyes to how miraculous a human body and mind really is. No achievement goes uncelebrated. Every milestone seems like a miracle. If he says a complete sentence like "This is a drum", or calmly follows a one step command like "put your shoes in the basket" we jump for joy. I dare say I've felt no greater more complete joy, than seeing my little boy overcome all odds and conquor. My mother has been a tremendous support to me during this time, as she comes over almost every day to make sure I get a break. Most often I go sing. It gives me such energy. I was pleased to receive my first professional engagement as a cover for the soprano of the Verdi Requiem with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. I also was in the finals of two competitions, and will fly to Barcelona in January for the finals of the Francisco Vinas Competition.
Well that is our readers digest version of our 2008. We do not know where our future lies in the upcoming months, but we will wait and find out exactly what happens, knowing that whatever will come it will be exactly what we need when we need it. We wish you all a Merry Chrsitmas and a Happy New Year!
Love Aaron, Vanessa, Ezra, & Micah.
All that follows are pictures with some captions, of course mos of our pics are on picasa or facebook.
This year we enjoyed a really great visit from Vanessa's brother Dave and Angie. 
We had a great time hanging out with them as well as going on a big trip with them down to Nashville, TN.
Halloween was fun and the boys had lasted for several houses trick or treating.
Micah was a bat.
Ezra was a fireman.
The boys DO like to play together sometimes.
We had a really great trip out to Utah for work and play. While there Ezra had a great time eating and picking grapes at our friend's property.
Micah just outside of one of the caverns we visited while Dave & Angie were here.
Sometimes we just have fun with Photobooth on our imac (note in the photos that mom and dad are having fun. The kids seem less excited).
